


take me where the music ain't too loud

by jaywons



Category: TREASURE (Korea Band)
Genre: (kinda but theres not really ANGST, Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst with a Happy Ending, Boys Kissing, Getting Together, Getting to Know Each Other, Idiots in Love, M/M, They're both really stupid, he's just an introvert, hyunsuk is popular, junkyu is Not, mashiho is only mentioned, not beta read we die like men, past sukhoon, side yesahi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:21:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28015389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaywons/pseuds/jaywons
Summary: kim junkyu told himself he wouldn't ever fall for choi hyunsuk. but even the mighty fall eventually, right?alternatively: hyunsuk has a secret crush, and junkyu is jealous. turns out, they're both stupid.
Relationships: Choi Hyunsuk/Kim Junkyu
Comments: 6
Kudos: 34





	take me where the music ain't too loud

**Author's Note:**

> hihi, it's me again. i've spent months on this fic and it's cycled through two other pairings before it became sukkyu, and that's when i was finally motivated to finish it.
> 
> the title is taken from wish you were sober by conan gray, which this fic is slightly inspired by.
> 
> comments and kudos are MUCH appreciated, and i hope you all enjoy!

kim junkyu was not a partier. and honestly, that was probably an understatement. with his introverted nature, a house slap full of sweaty, (mostly underaged) drunken high school and college students was the absolute last place he wanted to be. but it was the biggest party of the year, and junkyu _had_ to be there. at least, that's what all his friends said when they forced him into going. but they've said the exact same thing about every other party they've dragged him to. he's pretty sure there were much better things he could've been doing than being at some stupid party with a supposedly 'great deejay' who couldn't even play good music, like watching a movie he's already seen so many times he can recite every line as it's being said.

but then there's also this boy. it always comes down to some boy, doesn't it? anyway, junkyu's boy - well he's not really junkyu's, per se, but that's not the important part - was going to be at this party. how did junkyu know that? because this boy hasn't missed a single party all year. 

choi hyunsuk was the guy everyone knew. the guy everyone wanted to have or wanted to be. junkyu told himself he wouldn't ever be caught up in hyunsuk's web; he was stronger than that.

junkyu's resolve crumbled quickly. and he couldn't for the life of him understand _why_ \- hyunsuk wasn't even his type. junkyu was never one to fall for the hot and sexy popular guys that everyone else always drooled over. no, he liked the quieter boys, the ones that you wouldn't expect to be cool. the cute, soft spoken boys that go absolutely insane with the people they're comfortable with. the boys who are honest, who work hard for what they have, who care about their future.

and from what junkyu has heard, hyunsuk... he is far from being like those boys. choi hyunsuk is loud. all the time. it doesn't matter who he's with, or where he is. he's a heartbreaker. he spends every single weekend - sometimes even weekdays - partying until sunrise and hooking up with whoever comes his way (at least that's what everyone says, and hyunsuk hasn't ever tried to deny it). he doesn't seem to care about his grades at all, half the time he comes into class late. choi hyunsuk is so beyond not being junkyu's type; he's the embodiment of everything junkyu _didn't_ want in a guy.

yet here junkyu is at a fucking _party_ , when he could be spending his friday night at home in front of his tv. instead of being curled up in bed, he's seated on a stool in the kitchen of whoever's house this is, nursing the red solo cup of whatever yedam poured him in his hand as he watches hyunsuk trade drinks with some girl whose name he probably doesn't even know.

"this party is shit." junkyu tells yedam, who's standing beside him watching hamada asahi, a mutual friend of theirs and hyunsuk's. 

junkyu likes asahi, he's cool. he's a lot different from hyunsuk though. he only goes to parties every once and awhile, and barely drinks. he also doesn't do the whole hookup thing. asahi is a good guy, much more like junkyu than like hyunsuk. yedam is also kind of in love with him, and has been for ages.

"yeah." yedam agrees. "i'd suggest we dip but i gotta make sure asahi doesn't get into trouble."

both junkyu and yedam know that there's no need to watch over asahi, he's a big boy who can take care of himself. he never gets into any trouble anyway. but yedam just needed an excuse to keep staring at him like a lovesick fool.

junkyu sighs and takes a small sip from his cup, grimacing at the burn of the alcohol on his tongue. he doesn't know how people actually _like_ drinking that shit. he looks up from his cup, and makes eye contact with hyunsuk, who's staring at him from across the room. _shit._ junkyu's eyes go wide and he chokes on his drink as he quickly looks away from the older boy, turning to yedam.

"he was staring at me." junkyu hissed, trying his best to calm his heart that's pounding in his chest. 

"who was?" yedam asked, furrowing his brows as he looked around the room. 

junkyu smacks the younger boy's arm. "stop looking!" yedam rolled his eyes, but looked back to junkyu. "choi hyunsuk was staring at me."

yedam's eyebrows shoot up. "don't you have, like, a fat crush on him?"

junkyu chokes on the alcohol he'd been pretending to drink. "no!" he denies, a little too loud and way too defensive. "i do not have a crush on choi hyunsuk. now i'm gonna go sit outside until this shitshow is over. have fun watching your loverboy."

with that, junkyu turns away from yedam and pushes past some random couple making out in the middle of the walkway. the moment his face hits the outside air, he feels the calmness and peace of the night taking him over. he's not sure how long he sits out there on the back steps, watching the alcohol as he swirls it around in his cup.

when junkyu hears footsteps behind him, he lets out a sigh of relief and starts to stand up. "thank god. yedam, can we just get the hell out of here, i'm b-"

it's not yedam standing behind him. junkyu's mouth goes dry and snaps shut when his eyes land on hyunsuk. all he can do is let out a tiny _oh._

"you wanna get out of here?" hyunsuk asks, giving junkyu a smile.

 _no no no no no-_ "sure." _fuck._

hyunsuk grins widely and offers a hand to junkyu, which he takes - confidently.

_what the fuck is he doing?_

junkyu vows to himself to never let yedam find out about this, but that fails almost immediately. yedam is still exactly where junkyu left him, watching the two leave with wide eyes. 

hyunsuk leads junkyu out front to what he assumes is the older boy's car. _a fucking range rover? rich people._

to junkyu's surprise, hyunsuk opens the passenger side door for him, and closes it behind him too before going around to the driver's side.

as much as junkyu hates to admit it, hyunsuk is pretty hot behind a steering wheel. and that's when junkyu notices the tattoo. it's just below hyunsuk's collarbone, pretty cursive writing peeking out from beneath his white t-shirt. junkyu gulped and looked away, feeling his face starting to get hot. suddenly he was thankful for the darkness masking his reddening face.

"so. is there anywhere specific you wanna go?" hyunsuk asked, starting the engine.

"um… not really." junkyu shook his head.

"are you hungry? we can stop and get some food somewhere, i noticed you didn't eat at the party?" that caught junkyu's attention.

"you were watching me?" junkyu asked, eyebrows raised.

"and if i was?" hyunsuk made the question sound as if he was challenging junkyu to have a problem with it. "you're cute, junkyu. so yeah, i did kind of watch you."

"you know my name?" something about that shocked junkyu. he hadn't expected someone like hyunsuk to know who he was.

"asahi talks about you all the time." hyunsuk nodded. "it's nice to finally actually meet you… it kinda feels like i already have because of all the stories i've heard from mutual friends. you're even prettier up close."

junkyu's face went bright red, and once again he found himself thankful for the one o'clock darkness. hyunsuk had wanted to meet him, and hyunsuk thought he was pretty.

it's getting late, but junkyu doesn't care. he doesn't have anywhere else to be, nor anywhere else he would rather be. he's in his crush's car, and they're on their way to go eat together. junkyu can feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins, and he can't help but smile a little. 

they're passing through a tunnel,, and junkyu gets an idea when he sees that the road is nearly empty. he shoots hyunsuk a grin before unbuckling his seat belt and opening the sunroof. junkyu stands and pushes himself up to sit on the roof of the car, his feet dangling inside. his grin grows as the wind blows against his face, whipping through his hair. he spreads his arms, laughing. he's always wanted to try doing this; he's seen it in tons of those coming of age movies. and junkyu has to admit, he's never felt more free.

junkyu's breathing is heavy when he drops back into the car, his chest heaving in excitement and exhilaration. "have you ever done that before?" he asks hyunsuk, who shakes his head, much to junkyu's surprise. "you should, it's fucking incredible. feels like you're on top of the world."

"you're cute." hyunsuk smiles at junkyu, and the younger boy blushes fiercely.

"thanks." junkyu rubs the back of his neck. 

the rest of the ride is silent until hyunsuk carefully parks in front of a cute diner junkyu has never been to before.

"hyung, you really didn't have to, we could've just gotten mcdonald's or something." junkyu says as he looks up at the neon sign with wide eyes.

"don't worry about it." hyunsuk shakes his head. "it's on me."

junkyu turns to face him, his eyes even wider now. "you really don't have to do that, i can pay for myself-"

"kim junkyu." hyunsuk says the younger boy's name sternly, and he shuts up immediately. "this was my idea, i'm taking you out, therefore i'm paying. okay?"

all junkyu can do is nod dumbly before they head inside the restaurant, and he tries to ignore the way his heart pounds when hyunsuk takes his hand. and he certainly doesn't take note of how hyunsuk's hands are smaller than his own, or how comfortably hyunsuk's fingers fit between his.

"what do you want to get?" hyunsuk asks. he still hasn't let go of junkyu, and their intertwined hands rested between them on the cold tabletop. 

"not sure yet." junkyu hums as he looks over the menu. his face lights up and he gasps when he sees what he wants. "they have avocado burgers!" he gasps happily.

hyunsuk, on the other hand, wrinkles his nose in distaste. "avocados. blegh."

junkyu sticks his tongue out at hyunsuk, earning a loud laugh from the older.

"shh, we're in a restaurant!" junkyu hushes him, giggling.

"so?" hyunsuk shrugs. "it's not like there's really anyone else in here for us to disturb."

and hyunsuk was right. the two of them were the only ones there, aside from an older couple and a family of four.

junkyu rolls his eyes, but he can't fight the smile that tugs at the corners of his lips. he's smiled a lot since he left that lame ass party. he's just smiled a lot since being around hyunsuk. 

how did he even manage to get in this situation in the first place? was he stupid for saying yes to going with hyunsuk? given his reputation… no. that didn't mean anything. hyunsuk doesn't seem anything like the jerkfaced dickwad that junkyu's mind had tried to twist him into. hyunsuk was… he was kind. and he was funny, and cool, and sweet, and god he's so goddamn beautiful that it's _really_ hard for junkyu to not just sit there and stare at him the whole time.

"what are you thinking about?" hyunsuk asked, studying junkyu's face. his lips were pursed and his eyebrows were scrunched up - very obvious tells that he was starting to think too much.

"you." junkyu replies without thinking, and his face _burns_ when he realized what he'd said - and this time, he didn't have the darkness to hide him.

hyunsuk's eyebrows shoot up at the response. "me? what about me?" he inquires.

"nothing important, just… you're really pretty, that's all." junkyu refuses to make eye contact as he replies, busying himself by pretending to look over the menu even though he's already said what he wanted.

"oh?" hyunsuk grins. "pretty boy thinks i'm pretty?"

junkyu's face is bright red and he's beyond flustered. "i am _not_ pretty." he huffs.

"yes you are." hyunsuk argues. "i think you're actually one of the prettiest boys i've ever had the fortune of meeting- and i've met lots of pretty boys in my lifetime, just so you know."

junkyu already knows that, of _course_ he knows that. the statement reminds junkyu of everything he's heard about hyunsuk throughout high school, and it makes him insecure. he just can't wrap his mind around the fact that out of all the people hyunsuk could've chosen to leave that party with, he chose _junkyu_. he doesn't understand what hyunsuk could've possibly seen in him, and he worries that he'll end up being just another fling to hyunsuk. junkyu desperately wants to know what made the older boy choose _him_ out of the dozens of people far more interesting and leagues more attractive than him, but he's far too much of a coward to ask. he guesses it's something that will just remain unsaid between the two of them. and a part of him is okay with that.

"whatever you say." junkyu rolls his eyes, biting back a smile. 

just then, a waitress comes over to take their orders and collect their menus.

hyunsuk finally pulls his hand away from junkyu's to check his phone, and junkyu finds himself instantly missing the warmth of the older's hand.

junkyu takes the opportunity to check his own phone, and he's got about a dozen texts from yedam - even asahi had texted, much to junkyu's surprise. that had to be yedam's doing, since junkyu and asahi weren't really _that_ close.

**me** : _hey, don't worry about me_

 **me** : _i'm with hyunsuk_

yedam responds almost immediately, which doesn't surprise junkyu in the slightest.

**damie** : _yeah cause that makes me feel so much better_

 **damie** : _where the hell are u???_

 **me** : _seriously, i'm Fine_

 **me** : _we stopped somewhere to eat_

 **damie** : _please be safe kyu :/_

 **damie** : _come back soon???_

junkyu left yedam on read, and he didn't bother to open asahi's messages at all. he sighed as he set his phone aside.

"what's up?" hyunsuk asked, looking up from his own phone. there's genuine concern in the older's eyes as he searches junkyu's face. 

"my friends." junkyu shook his head. "well- my friend, and one of your friends."

"one of my friends?" hyunsuk questions. "who?"

"asahi." junkyu replies. "he's close with my best friend, i guess we're kinda friends too."

"your best friend… yedam, right?" hyunsuk nods. "ah… asahi doesn't shut up about him. Like, ever. i kinda thought they were a thing for a while, but asahi says they aren't, so. he's too chicken to do anything about it." 

junkyu raises his eyebrows at that. "so they're both idiots then, huh?"

hyunsuk lets out a soft laugh, and junkyu can feel his heart soar in his chest.

when their food arrives, junkyu can't help but laugh at the way hyunsuk wrinkles his nose at his avocado burger, giving the sandwich the evil eye. 

but junkyu's amusement doesn't last too long, because then it's hyunsuk's turn to laugh at how the younger's face goes bright red when he sticks a second straw in the strawberry milkshake sitting between them.

"no fucking _way_." junkyu shakes his head violently, but the blush coating his cheeks makes him impossible to take seriously.

"don't be a party pooper." hyunsuk started pouting and _oh god he's so goddamn cute._

junkyu sighs and caves into hyunsuk's request. _he just keeps caving_.

hyunsuk's pout quickly morphs into a broad grin, and junkyu swears he felt his heart stop for a moment. "you're absolutely _foul_ for this." junkyu complains.

"i'm not, and you know it." hyunsuk says cheekily.

junkyu rolls his eyes for what feels like the millionth time that night, and leans forward to wrap his lips around the straw. hyunsuk snorts and shakes his head before doing the same. their foreheads just barely touch, and junkyu feels like he's about to explode. he can't believe his heart is going this crazy over their _foreheads touching as they share a fucking milkshake_.

junkyu does not look at hyunsuk as they sip from the milkshake like the main couple of some old romcom. in fact, that's the one thing that junkyu _avoids_ doing. he looks anywhere _but_ at hyunsuk - and it doesn't go unnoticed by the older boy.

hyunsuk let the straw fall from his lips and sat back to watch junkyu, his chin resting on his fist.

his face slowly turning red again, junkyu pushes the milkshake away. he takes a deep breath as discreetly as he can, and makes direct eye contact with hyunsuk, who smiles widely at him. there's nothing junkyu can do to stop the smile that spreads across his own face and _god, he's such a fool._ junkyu knows he's foolish for this, but his foolishness is a whole lot like the smile on his face. _there's nothing he can do to stop it._

it's nearly 3 am by the time they finally leave the diner - hyunsuk had insisted that they finish that stupid milkshake, and it took junkyu ages so finally comply.

and there they were, back in hyunsuk's expensive range rover that junkyu could never afford with his shitty part time job. not everyone had the benefits of having rich parents.

hyunsuk turned up the radio, and junkyu raised his eyebrows in surprise. "really? keshi?" 

"what?" hyunsuk asked. "you don't like it? you can put something else on if you want."

"what? no, i love keshi, it's just-" junkyu paused. "i didn't really peg you for the keshi type."

"oh yeah?" the corner of hyunsuk's lip twitched, threatening a smile. "what type _did_ you peg me for, then?"

"i thought you listened to _fuck bitches, get money_ music, like all the rest of the popular fuckers you hang around."

much to junkyu's surprise, hyunsuk burst out laughing. for a moment, junkyu just stares in confusion, and then he joins in on hyunsuk's laughter. he doesn't even mean to laugh, it's just that hyunsuk's laugh is the kind that makes you want to laugh along. and through the laughter, junkyu can't help but think about how beautiful hyunsuk is in the moment, his mouth opened wide in a laugh that sounds like junkyu's new favorite song, his eyes squeezed shut and his cheeks turning red. yeah. he's beautiful. 

" _'fuck bitches, get money music'_ ," hyunsuk wipes a tear from his eye. "i think that's the funniest shit i've ever heard in my life."

junkyu rolls his eyes _again_. "i really hate you."

"no you don't." hyunsuk shakes his head, still smiling.

"and how do you know that?" junkyu raises an eyebrow and crosses his arms over his chest.

"because if you hated me, you wouldn't be here right now." hyunsuk said simply. 

junkyu doesn't say anything back, because he knows hyunsuk is right. his cheeks go red with embarrassment at being proved wrong - but also at the way hyunsuk's eyes are boring into him. "why are you staring at me?" he finally asks. he tries to calm his heart as it slams against his ribcage, threatening to shatter the bones that held it there.

"because i like looking at you." hyunsuk smiled, and junkyu's breath caught in his throat. 

"oh." it was more of an exhale than an actual spoken word, but junkyu couldn't help it.

hyunsuk's smile grows wider and god it's so _real_. for a moment, junkyu forgets to breathe, completely focused on the boy in the driver's seat of this expensive car and the next thing he knew, they were _kissing_ and he feels like he's going to melt into a puddle under hyunsuk's lips. 

and he nearly does. hyunsuk's lips are softer than any other lips junkyu has ever kissed before and he's absolutely positive that he could stay like this forever. hyunsuk still tastes like strawberries from the milkshake they had just shared, but beneath that, junkyu can taste the alcohol from the party. he'd forgotten that hyunsuk had been drinking - that hyunsuk had been intoxicated the entire time they'd been together. junkyu knew that the older wasn't drunk - but he wasn't sober either.

junkyu breaks the kiss, and he turns his face away from hyunsuk, hoping to hide the disappointment in his eyes.

"is something wrong?" hyunsuk asked. His voice is gentle, and junkyu was sure that if he could touch a voice, hyunsuk's would feel like expensive velvet.

"n-no, nothing is wrong, i just…" junkyu's voice faded for a moment. "i just wish you were sober."

there's a flash of _something_ in hyunsuk's eyes, something that junkyu can't quite distinguish. for a moment he thinks that maybe he had imagined it. and maybe he had.

when junkyu wakes up, it's half past noon, and he knows yedam is going to kill him. they had agreed to meet at the cafe they always hung out at so junkyu could explain what exactly happened the night before.

and that wasn't really something that junkyu was looking forward to doing. he felt the dread pooling in the pit of his stomach as he showered and changed, and his hands even shook when he climbed into his car and turned the key in the ignition. 

junkyu was not ready to face the reality of what had happened the night - well, morning - before. he'd avoided thinking about it to the best of his ability, but his abilities weren't exactly… the best. stopped at a red light, junkyu found himself recalling the taste and feel of hyunsuk's lips on his, and he blinked when the light turned green, as if it would wash it all away. 

when junkyu got to the cafe, he sat in the car for a few minutes, preparing himself for the barrage of questions he knew yedam would ask. _deep breath, kim. everything is gonna be fine, there's nothing to worry about._

approximately twenty minutes later, junkyu was seated in front of one bang yedam - and hamada asahi, who was apparently yedam's boyfriend now. junkyu really hadn't thought yedam would've been able to work up the courage to confess - but he'd been proven wrong.

junkyu had spilled his guts to the both of them; he'd told them everything that had happened between him and hyunsuk, from them leaving together, to the diner and the milkshake, and the kiss. _that fucking kiss._ it haunted junkyu, and he had no idea how to make it stop. 

now he sat there, avoiding both pairs of eyes resting on him as he sipped his americano. 

"so that's it?" yedam asked. "that's all that happened?"

junkyu nodded slowly, making eye contact with yedam for just a moment before focusing his attention back on his coffee. 

yedam hummed quietly before saying, "okay."

junkyu's head jerked up, and he stared at yedam. "okay?" he repeated. "just… okay?"

"that's what i said, isn't it?" yedam shook his head. "choi hyunsuk isn't my favorite person ever, but it's good to know that i don't have to worry about planning his murder just yet." 

"yedam!" junkyu exclaimed. "you're not planning his murder _ever_."

"i agree with junkyu on this one." asahi nodded, of course, jumping to his best friend's defense. 

"whatever." yedam rolled his eyes. "he respected you and your boundaries last night, and it sounds like you had a good time together, correct?"

"yeah," junkyu mumbled. "yeah, you're right. i just… expected you to ask me a shit ton of questions." he admitted. 

"oh, he wanted to." asahi said, earning a pointed glance from yedam. "but then he decided that you were a big boy, and you can handle yourself all on your own."

junkyu gave a soft smile at that. "yeah, i guess i am, huh?"

yedam opened his mouth to speak, but he stopped when the bell on the cafe door rang, loud and clear through the rather small space. 

junkyu looked up, and he regretted it immediately. instant eye contact with choi hyunsuk. and he wasn't alone - park jihoon stood beside him, all perfect features and sharp eyes. anyone who knew hyunsuk also knew jihoon. they used to date last year, and it was after their breakup that hyunsuk became the party boy he is now. junkyu was surprised to see them together again, and he'd be lying if he said it didn't sting, especially after what had happened between them 

hyunsuk's face broke into a huge grin the moment his eyes found junkyu, and the younger boy could feel the blood rushing to his face.

"what's going on?" yedam asked, concerned.

"don't turn around, don't-" it was too late. yedam had already turned 180 degrees in his and asahi's booth to stare at hyunsuk.

"oh." yedam said simply, quickly turning back around. "sorry about that."

all junkyu could do was sigh deeply and curl into himself to make himself as small as possible when hyunsuk started to make his way over to their table. junkyu hoped that maybe he could make himself disappear and save himself from the embarrassment that was sure to come.

"junkyu!" his name falling from hyunsuk's lips got junkyu's heart doing backflips in his chest cavity, and he felt like he was going to die right then and there.

"hey." junkyu responded, offering hyunsuk a weak smile. "what's up?"

"i was actually hoping to talk to you." hyunsuk said. "i was gonna text asahi and get your number, but i guess that's not necessary anymore."

"oh…" junkyu nodded. "what did you want to talk about?"

"do you mind if we go outside?" 

junkyu nods slowly, getting up from his place in the booth. yedam gives his best friend a sympathetic look as he passes by him, following hyunsuk out of the cafe. 

once they made it outside, junkyu turned to hyunsuk, wiping his palms on his thighs, wiping the sweat away on the slightly worn denim. "what… did you want to talk about?" he asked awkwardly, unsure how to feel about being alone with hyunsuk again after last night.

"i wanted to apologize." hyunsuk said. "for last night… it wasn't my intention to make you uncomfortable or force you into anything you didn't want. so uh… yeah. i'm sorry."

"oh." junkyu breathed. "you don't have to apologize for anything, last night was fun and i had a really good time."

hyunsuk raised an eyebrow, and junkyu went bright red - unable to hide it in broad daylight. "oh? well in that case, i'm glad." hyunsuk smiled, and junkyu swears his legs nearly gave out from beneath him. "maybe we could do it again sometime."

junkyu's eyes go wide. he means to shake his head and say no, he really does, but he finds himself nodding in agreement, his lips curving into a smile to match hyunsuk's. "i think i'd like that." 

"okay." hyunsuk grinned. "okay, cool. you wanna go back inside? i'm sure yedam is ready to rip my throat out by now."

junkyu can't help but giggle at that. "yeah, you're probably right."

and just like that, the conversation was over, and junkyu was sliding back into the booth across from yedam, who was now engaged in a heated argument about pancakes and waffles with asahi and jihoon. 

junkyu cleared his throat as hyunsuk took a seat beside him, and yedam immediately fixed his attention on his best friend. "you're back!" he grinned brightly.

"no shit sherlock." junkyu rolled his eyes and yedam stuck his tongue out at him. the older couldn't help but smile at his friend's childish nature. 

"you're a dick." yedam huffed.

"awe, i love you too!" junkyu laughed.

asahi rolled his eyes at the two of them. "i swear, the two of you bicker like old women in a nursing home."

at that, junkyu and yedam made eye contact, immediately bursting into laughter. the other three at the table stared at the pair in confusion, making the two laugh even harder.

"shut up before we get kicked out of here for being a public disturbance." asahi rolled his eyes. "you two will be the reason we get banned from ever stepping foot back in here."

roughly an hour and a half later, junkyu walked out of that cafe with a new friendship. park jihoon wasn't nearly as icy as everyone made him out to be - he was more _warm_ , if anything else.

junkyu couldn't help but think that the same could be said for hyunsuk, who, in the last twelve hours, had been absolutely nothing like the guy junkyu always heard about. the choi hyunsuk that junkyu now knows is actually a guy that he'd kinda be into. he's staring up at his ceiling (thinking about hyunsuk) when his phone dings with a text notification from an unsaved number.

**unknown:** _hey it's hyunsuk_

 **unknown:** _i didn't forget to ask sahi for ur number!!!_

junkyu stares at the screen with wide eyes. _hadn't hyunsuk said earlier that it wasn't necessary to get his number anymore?_

**me:** _hey???_

 **me:** _what happened to it not being necessary to ask for my number anymore lol_

junkyu chewed his lower lip as he waited for a response. three minutes went by without a notification, and he locked his phone and covered his face with his arm. _what the hell was he doing? why was he talking to hyunsuk and getting his hopes up?_ yedam always called junkyu a colossal idiot, and he started to think that maybe the younger was right. he rolled over and groaned loudly into his pillow.

_ding!_

it's quite embarrassing, honestly, how quickly junkyu sat up and scrambled to unlock his phone.

**hyunsuk:** _i changed my mind_

 **hyunsuk:** _i would have to be stupid to not ask for a pretty boy's number_

junkyu's jaw dropped. was hyunsuk _flirting_ with him? he reread the texts over and over, his brain faltering every time his eyes skimmed over the part where hyunsuk called him pretty.

**me:** _if u wanted a pretty boy's number u should've asked for jihoon's_

hyunsuk answered immediately this time.

**hyunsuk:** _i already Have jihoon's number_

 **hyunsuk:** _besides, he's got nothing on u_

 **me:** _are u Flirting with me right now, choi hyunsuk?_

 **hyunsuk:** _what if i said i am?_

junkyu's fingers hovered over his keyboard, trying to figure out what the fuck to say. he was in absolute disbelief that this was actually happening. and it's the middle of the day and they've spent their morning together - junkyu knows hyunsuk is completely sober and clear minded. _"i wish you were sober."_ his own words from last night rang in his ears. 

**me:** _then i would have to tell u ur absolutely insane_

 **hyunsuk:** _and why is that?_

 **me:** _… did u pay attention to me at all earlier???_

 **hyunsuk:** _actually u were all i paid attention to earlier_

junkyu's face heats up, and that doesn't change much at all over the next few hours that he and hyunsuk text - it's mostly flirting on hyunsuk's end, and junkyu doing surprisingly well playing it cool despite his flaming red face, and he wasn't going to complain. he learns a lot of little things about hyunsuk as they talk though, like how his favorite color is purple, he loves soccer, he and asahi produce music together in their free time, and he actually has very good grades despite his constant tardiness and absence from classes. the more he learns, the more sure he becomes that the older boy isn't who everyone makes him out to be. so he tells him that.

**me:** _u know, u aren't anything like the guy everyone talks about_

 **hyunsuk:** _is that a good thing or ???_

 **me:** _it's good it's just … surprising, that's all_

 **me:** _everyone on campus talks about u like ur a complete asshole_

 **hyunsuk:** _oh trust me, i know_

 **hyunsuk:** _i've heard PLENTY of the stories_

junkyu chews his bottom lip as his fingers hovered over his keyboard, trying to think of what to say. he desperately wants to ask what happened between him and jihoon that made him change so much, but he's worried he might be prying.

**hyunsuk:** _u've been typing a while are u writing me a novel or something_

 **me:** _i'm Not i'm just thinking_

 **hyunsuk:** _u can ask me whatever u want u know_

 **hyunsuk:** _i won't bite_

junkyu sighs heavily.

**me:** _okay_

 **me:** _what happened between u and jihoon?_

he puts his phone screen-down on his bed and gets up to go downstairs to find something to snack on - it's a half assed attempt to distract himself as he nervously awaits hyunsuk's response. junkyu's already got three notifications by the time he returns to his bedroom.

**hyunsuk:** _well we broke up (obviously) and it was kind of mutual but Not Really ?? it was more like he wanted to break up and i pretended i was okay with it because i didn't want him to feel bad about it_

 **hyunsuk:** _i guess u already know that's when i started going to all the parties which was my way of trying to free myself and move on from jihoon like they do in movies yk??? i kinda hoped one day i'd get that cliche moment where i lock eyes with someone during a party and boom it's love at first sight_

 **hyunsuk:** _the hookup rumors are entirely untrue btw i'm not even really sure why those started spreading in the first place but i didn't bother saying anything about it because who cares if everyone thinks i'm a whore or whatever_

junkyu just stares at the texts, trying his best to take it all in and understand it. hyunsuk was just a regular guy, a whole lot more like junkyu than he thought. he was just a guy coping with heartbreak and letting people think whatever they wanted to think of him.

**me:** _so did u???_

 **me:** _get over jihoon and get ur cliche moment, that is_

hyunsuk types for a while, the bubbles appearing and disappearing half a dozen times - and it makes junkyu nervous and sweaty palmer.

**hyunsuk:** _yeah i got over him_

 **hyunsuk:** _and my cliche moment … yeah kinda_

 **hyunsuk:** _i'm just not sure he feels the same way that i do_

hyunsuk's response sends junkyu's heart plummeting to his stomach. he knew it was selfish to be upset about it, but he really couldn't help it. junkyu just wanted to be the one for someone, the one for _hyunsuk_. but he never is. he's never the one. and he thinks that maybe, one day, he'll finally be okay with that.

**me:** _well even if he doesn't feel the same_

 **me:** _i'm proud of u for being able to move on, hyung, and i hope u get to be happy_

even if it's not with me, are the words junkyu wants to say, but he keeps them to himself for his own sake. what he has with hyunsuk now is good enough for him, and he'll do whatever he can to keep it.

**hyunsuk:** _thanks kyu, that means a lot_

if junkyu smiles and blushes at the nickname, it's no one's business but his own.

**hyunsuk:** _so what about u? there must be someone u like_

 **me:** there is, but it doesn't matter

 **me:** _he wouldn't ever like me back anyway_

junkyu would be lying if he said it didn't sting. he'd hoped that the kiss and everything else that had happened beforehand had meant something to hyunsuk the way it meant something to him - but he should've known it wouldn't. hyunsuk had been drinking that night and he was lonely and that was a dangerous combination that made people do and say things they don't really mean.

and then there was the constant flirting ever since they had started talking and junkyu wanted so badly for it to mean something, for it to be real. but he really should've known it was all far too good to be true.

**hyunsuk:** _what makes u say that ??? no one in their right mind wouldn't like u_

 **hyunsuk:** _i meant it when i said ur easily one of the prettiest boys i've ever seen, and ur smart and ur sweet and ur funny and u listen_

 **hyunsuk:** _u have this laugh that makes me want to do something stupid to make u laugh again because it's just so addicting and i don't think i would ever get tired of making u laugh_

junkyu didn't know what to say. he just blinked and read and reread the messages, watching the bubbles as hyunsuk typed and stopped typing and started again.

**hyunsuk:** _are u busy right now???_

 **me:** _no why??_

junkyu's eyebrows were furrowed as he typed his reply. why would hyunsuk ask him that? 

**hyunsuk:** _be ready in 10 i'm picking u up_

junkyu nearly choked on his own saliva, his eyes going wide. he texts back a simple _okay_ , then practically throws himself out of bed to get ready and make himself look presentable.

unsurprisingly, he was not ready ten minutes later when hyunsuk texted him that he was outside. so junkyu just replied and told him to let himself in, and that he was upstairs in his room.

there was a soft knock as junkyu fixed his hair for what felt like the billionth time, and he looked up to see hyunsuk leaning against his doorframe, hands tucked into the front pockets of his jeans.

"hey." junkyu breathed, completely forgetting about his hair.

"hey." hyunsuk grinned. "you ready to go?"

junkyu blinked twice, then looked around his room as if he was forgetting something. when nothing came to mind, he looked back to hyunsuk with a smile. "yeah, i think i am." 

the passenger seat of hyunsuk's range rover was one place that junkyu hadn't ever expected to find himself again but there he was, stealing not so subtle glances at the older boy as he drove them out to wherever their destination was. 

_"where are we going?"_ junkyu had asked, barely two minutes into the drive.

 _"it's a secret."_ had been hyunsuk's response.

they neared a tunnel that junkyu recognized from early that morning when they left the party together. once again, he found himself unbuckling his seatbelt and pushing himself up onto the roof through the sunroof, spreading his arms wide as the wind whipped through his hair. it felt life flying, and all junkyu could do was close his eyes, tilt his head back, and laugh like he'd never been hurt before.

junkyu recognized the route they were taking, and he had a pretty good hunch as to where they were going - which turned out to be right when they pulled into the parking lot of the diner they had been at together less than twenty four hours earlier.

"i wanted a redo of last night." hyunsuk said, turning in his seat to face junkyu. "and i wanna do it right this time."

"what does that mean?" junkyu asked. hyunsuk didn't respond with words, just a wide grin. junkyu stares at the older boy as he slips out of the driver's seat. "hyunsuk, what does that _mean_?" he repeats, once again receiving no response. so he just huffs and follows hyunsuk into the diner.

they take the same table they sat at the first time, hyunsuk placing himself across from junkyu just as he did before. junkyu watches as the older boy furrowed his brow in deep thought for several moments before suddenly sitting straight up and grabbing junkyu's hand across the table with a blinding grin on his face.

junkyu's eyes widened and he could feel his face heating up - he looked like a tomato and he knew it. "what are you doing that for?" he asks, nearly choking on his words.

"i told you," hyunsuk smiled. "i wanted to redo last night and do it right this time."

"i know what you said, but what does that _mean_?" junkyu groaned.

"it's obvious what it means, but you'll figure it out eventually." hyunsuk shrugged as he slid his fingers between junkyu's, holding his hand tight.

junkyu was far from being an idiot - he was actually incredibly smart - but sometimes he could be a bit dense. and embarrassingly oblivious. he couldn't help but wonder if now was one of those times. he hadn't even realized he'd been pouting until hyunsuk started teasing him.

"you're so cute when you get all pouty." hyunsuk gushed, making cooing noises at junkyu, who dropped his head on the table in attempts to hide his flushed face. "it's not that big of a deal, kyu. i know you'll catch on soon enough."

 _kyu._ if junkyu thought it had affected him through text, it was even worse hearing from hyunsuk's own lips. he genuinely felt like his face was going to burst into flame at any given moment while his heart explodes out of his chest.

the waitress came by, and this time, hyunsuk didn't let go of junkyu's hand. junkyu orders first, the avocado burger he'd had last time (hyunsuk gags in disgust), and he pauses for a moment. "can i add a large strawberry milkshake?" he almost doesn't catch the surprise that flashes across hyunsuk's face, and he smiles to himself.

hyunsuk orders and the waitress collects their menus and he still hasn't let go of junkyu's hand. junkyu wonders when he finally will - not that he wants him to. he can't help but think about how their hands fit together so comfortably despite hyunsuk's being so much smaller than junkyu's. he likes the way hyunsuk's hand feels in his, and he really wouldn't complain if they held hands forever. 

junkyu can feel hyunsuk watching him, so he looks up to meet the older's eyes. hyunsuk raised an eyebrow at him. "i thought you hated the milkshake thing." junkyu can't tell if that was a statement or a question, but he shakes his head.

"i didn't, actually." he admitted. "i thought it was kind of cute." junkyu's revelation elicits yet another grin from hyunsuk. there's a certain kind of warmth that flows through junkyu's whole body every time hyunsuk smiles at him, and it makes him want to do something ridiculous and stupid just to make hyunsuk smile more. 

junkyu knows he's staring, but part of him really doesn't care. it really wasn't his fault, not when hyunsuk looked like _that_. 

"you're staring." hyunsuk pointed out, resting his cheek on his free hand.

"i know.'' junkyu didn't look away; he just watched hyunsuk's lips curve into a smile as his cheeks dusted pink. he really shouldn't look at hyunsuk's lips, especially now that he knows how they taste and how they feel moving against his own.

"you're being shameless now?" hyunsuk raised an eyebrow. "what happened to the shy junkyu that blushed every other minute, hm?"

and just like that, junkyu's resolve was broken. his head dropped again, heat spreading up his neck. he blamed it on the fact that he'd been reminded of the kiss. "god i really hate you." junkyu mumbled, embarrassed that he let hyunsuk have this effect on him. 

"we've already been over this, kyu." hyunsuk giggled and junkyu thought he might faint. "if you hated me, you wouldn't be here right now." he said, giving junkyu's hand a squeeze. the younger just rolled his eyes. 

hyunsuk removed his fingers from between junkyu's, and the younger boy was a millisecond from making a noise of protest when hyunsuk started playing with his fingers.

junkyu really _really_ wished he would stop blushing at every little thing hyunsuk said or did, but he couldn't fight the heat that reddened his ears for what felt like the millionth time that day. "your hands are so small." he blurted out, once again noticing the difference in the size of their hands.

this time, hyunsuk is the one blushing, albet not nearly as hard as junkyu does - but the younger still takes that as a victory on his end. 

"not my fault yours are big." hyunsuk huffed, flattening his palm against junkyu's and pouting at how his hand was significantly smaller. 

"my hands _aren't_ big, yours are just tiny." junkyu teased. " _you're_ tiny." he grinned in satisfaction as he watches hyunsuk's face turn a deeper shade of red.

hyunsuk doesn't say anything, just grumbles and crosses his arms over his chest with an incredibly exaggerated frown. junkyu can't help but be a little disappointed at the sudden lack of physical contact with the older boy - but still, he smiles. 

"cute little sukkie," junkyu coos teasingly. "quit being so grumpy, hyung. i think it's cute that you're smaller than me." hyunsuk keeps pouting, and junkyu rests his hand on the table, palm up, waiting for hyunsuk to take it again.

and he does. 

junkyu barely manages to bite back a smile as he intertwines their fingers, glad for the return of the warmth of hyunsuk's hand in his.

it's silent for a while after that, but it's not awkward at all. in fact, it was comfortable - welcome, even. junkyu finds that he likes this silence, likes just existing there with hyunsuk. he also finds that he likes the way hyunsuk's thumb rubs the knuckle of his own. being with hyunsuk was easy when junkyu wasn't being embarrassed and flustered into oblivion. it felt like they'd been doing things like this for forever. and junkyu decided he liked that. he liked a lot of things when it came to hyunsuk, but mainly hyunsuk himself. junkyu couldn't help but wonder if hyunsuk knew that.

hyunsuk letting go of junkyu's hand when their food arrived was inevitable, but junkyu still pouted all the same, passing it off as his reaction to hyunsuk evil eyeing his avocado burger again.

"it's really not that bad, hyung!" junkyu rolled his eyes as he popped a french fry into his mouth. "i don't see why you won't give it a chance."

"because avocados are disgusting?" hyunsuk said, as if it was a proven fact that junkyu somehow hadn't known. and junkyu was almost willing to agree, just because it was hyunsuk. _almost_.

"you're being ridiculous." junkyu laughed and held his burger out to hyunsuk. "seriously, try it. just one bite, that's all."

hyunsuk eyed the sandwich like it might kill him, weighing his options in his head. finally, he sighs and takes a bite.

junkyu watches expectantly, and nearly bursts out laughing at the disgust on hyunsuk's face. he would've believed it if hyunsuk hadn't opened his mouth for a second bite. "see, i told you!"

"yeah, yeah, shut up!" hyunsuk said, a grin spreading across his face. 

"a point for me!" junkyu sing-songs, doing a little victory dance in his seat. he blushes when he realizes hyunsuk is watching him with a fond smile. "quit staring and eat your stupid burger." he grumbles.

"you get flustered so easily." hyunsuk teases. "i think it's adorable."

junkyu rolls his eyes again. "you're easy to fluster too, whenever i have it in me. you aren't special."

"i'm not special?" hyunsuk repeats dramatically, putting a hand over his heart. "i thought we really had something."

"oh my god, shut up!" junkyu laughs, tossing a fry at hyunsuk to shut him up.

every now and then, junkyu finds himself getting a little too caught up in the moment, enjoying hyunsuk's company and flirting a little too much, and he has to stop and remind himself that he's not the one hyunsuk wants. this is just to make up for last night; hyunsuk still had his cliché love at first sight boy, whoever the lucky bastard is. 

junkyu so desperately wants this to mean something to hyunsuk in the same way it means something to him. but of course it wouldn't - he would never be enough to really mean something to someone like hyunsuk, and believing that he could be was where he went wrong. 

"i've got to go to the bathroom." junkyu said, wiping his hands on the thighs of his jeans. "i'll be right back."

hyunsuk nodded, and junkyu could feel his eyes on his back as he got up and walked away. 

the moment junkyu locked himself in a stall, he slumped against the wall and let his head tilt back to stare at the lights in the ceiling. he felt so stupid for believing someone like hyunsuk - attractive and popular and the definition of perfect - would ever actually like someone like him - average at best. 

junkyu sighed, exiting the stall and splashing some water on his face. he checked his reflection and left the bathroom before hyunsuk would ask why he was gone for so long 

the stupid double-strawed strawberry milkshake was sitting in the center of the table when junkyu got back, and he cursed himself for ordering it. hyunsuk looked up from his phone, and his face broke into a blinding grin when his eyes landed on junkyu. if the younger's heart fluttered in his chest a little, no it didn't.

"you're back!" junkyu's heart wrenched at the way hyunsuk actually sounded happy to see him, and he really couldn't fight the smile that upturned the corners of his lips.

"yeah, i am." junkyu slid back into his booth, eyeing the milkshake between him and hyunsuk. 

"so i've decided what we're doing after this." hyunsuk said, studying junkyu's face. "but it's a secret." he added, noticing the way junkyu's eyebrow had quirked curiously.

"oh, come on," junkyu whined. "why can't you just tell me?"

"because it's a secret." hyunsuk grinned. "and i think you'll like it alot."

junkyu sighed in resignation. "fine- but you owe me twenty bucks if i end up hating it."

"i'm fine with that because i know you won't." hyunsuk said, his voice dripping with confidence. "but for now, we have a strawberry milkshake to get rid of."

junkyu rolls his eyes at the cheeky grin hyunsuk gives him, but his heart starts to beat a little faster in his chest as he remembers the way their foreheads touched when they did this the first time. desperate to get it over with before he did something embarrassing, junkyu made the first move, wrapping his lips around the thin straw and taking a sip. he avoids looking at hyunsuk, but he can feel hyunsuk's bangs brushing against his face as he leans in until their foreheads meet over that _stupid milkshake_. 

the shake doesn't last all that long, junkyu giving himself a brain freeze trying to speed up the process for the sake of his sanity. once it's gone, they agree that it's time to go, and hyunsuk pays despite junkyu's grumbling about how he already paid the first time. hyunsuk's response had been _it was my idea to do this, of course i'm paying._

and junkyu finds himself back in the passenger seat of hyunsuk's range rover that he could only afford in his dreams, and _of course_ he also finds himself sparing quick glances at hyunsuk every few seconds. it's like a habit, and he can't manage to force himself to stop. not even the embarrassment he knows he'll feel if hyunsuk catches him looking stops his eyes from cutting over to the older, and he hates the way he's so drawn to him when he knows it's not mutual.

that's what gets him to stop looking - the fact that he was stupid enough to agree to this, the fact that he was stupid enough to sit here and let hyunsuk play with his feelings when he _knew_ it was only going to get his heart broken. junkyu wanted to believe that he had the self control to keep hyunsuk at a distance that wouldn't result in him getting hurt, but he knew he would be a fool to think that.

junkyu stops looking over at hyunsuk and rests his head against the window instead to watch the trees and streetlights fly by as hyunsuk nearly sped down the empty street. the few advantages of living in a quiet town. he guesses hyunsuk gets tired of the silence after a while, because music starts to come from the speakers, and it's not keshi this time. this time, it's a song junkyu doesn't recognize, and he knits his eyebrows.

hyunsuk must have noticed. "it's _want your love_ by the black skirts." he says. "it's a really good song."

junkyu just nods, and he eventually finds himself lost in the music. he decides that he's gonna have to look into the black skirts a little more when tonight is done and over with. 

he's not sure when he falls asleep, but they're outside their university when hyunsuk gently shakes him awake. "what are we doing here?" junkyu asks, rubbing his eyes.

"the sun should be setting soon, and we're gonna watch it on the roof of the library." hyunsuk said. "and there's something else i wanna do first."

junkyu's eyes widen. "hyunsuk, that would be breaking and entering! which is _illegal_ in case you forgot! are you insane?"

hyunsuk rolled his eyes teasingly. "it's not breaking and entering if you have keys, is it?"

"why the hell do you have keys to the school?" junkyu raised an eyebrow. 

"i only have keys to the library and the arts building since i'm a very good student." hyunsuk opens his door to get out of the car.

junkyu laughed, letting himself out as well. "who would've thought you were a good student."

hyunsuk put a hand to his chest, feigning hurt. "i'm a _very_ good student, actually. my grades are absolutely gorgeous."

junkyu just rolls his eyes. "so what is it that you want to show me?"

"the studio." hyunsuk said simply.

"i'm a music major, hyunsuk, i see the studio all the time." junkyu says, slightly confused.

"i'm well aware of that, i'm not exactly showing you the studio itself." hyunsuk explains. "we just need the studio for what i want to show you."

junkyu nods slowly and just follows behind hyunsuk, because he really hasn't quite grasped what's going on. all he's managed to understand is that they're at their fucking _university_ after hours on a goddamn saturday evening when junkyu could've easily just stayed home and watched mulan for the millionth time with a tub of ice cream and a warm blanket.

when they reach the studio, hyunsuk flicks the lights on and drapes his jacket over the back of the chair, making himself at home. "i'm here after school all the time, and i have been since freshman year. that's why i was allowed to have a set of keys for myself."

"you double major in dance, don't you?" junkyu asked, settling himself into the chair next to hyunsuk's. "i watched the showcase last semester since mashiho wanted me to come. you guys were incredible."

hyunsuk practically glowed at the praise. "thanks," he grinned. "mashiho and i choreographed everything by ourselves actually."

"yeah, i remember mashiho told me that." junkyu nodded. "he used to practice over at my place too when we were supposed to be working on a project." he laughed.

"really?" hyunsuk asked, turning on the computer. "that really doesn't surprise me at all."

"he even made me learn it," junkyu shook his head. "he said teaching the steps helped him remember them better so i just went along with it."

"you dance?" hyunsuk asked, raising an eyebrow. "isn't your double literature?"

junkyu's eyes widened in surprise, he hadn't ever told hyunsuk he double majored. "i- yeah, i do. double in literature, i mean. and dance." junkyu mentally faceplate at the way he stumbles over his words. "i do dance a little, since mashiho and i used to dance together in high school. i just never pursued it seriously since writing and music composition was more my thing. but we still dance together sometimes."

"i didn't know you danced." hyunsuk said. 

"but you knew i double majored, and you knew what my double was." junkyu grinned.

hyunsuk's face went red, and he fixed his attention on the computer screen as he opened files. "you should, uh, come by the studio sometime during practice." he said, avoiding junkyu's observation.

"you're so fucking red, holy shit." junkyu couldn't stop himself from laughing at hyunsuk, who turned and glared at him in return.

"i hate you." hyunsuk huffed, turning his attention back to the computer.

"if you hated me, you wouldn't be here right now." junkyu said, repeating hyunsuk's words from last night. he could see when the words sank in, and the way hyunsuk's eyes narrowed. junkyu bit back a laugh and settled for a less violent approach. "so what exactly did you want to show me?"

"i'm getting there." hyunsuk said, clicking away through the files. "go ahead and put the headphones on."

junkyu raised an eyebrow, but did as he was told. a few clicks later, soft music started to play through the headphones, accompanied by an all-too-familiar voice that made junkyu's eyes go wide. he stares at hyunsuk, who's watching his face and fidgeting nervously, playing with his fingers in his lap. 

not once did junkyu's eyes stray from hyunsuk's face, not even when the piano faded and the song ended. "holy shit." he breathed, sliding off the headphones to let them rest around his neck. "was that for your cliché moment guy?" junkyu tried to be as nonchalant as he could, despite the pang in his chest. the lyrics felt far too personal to just be about no one.

"yeah." hyunsuk nodded, and junkyu had to admit that vulnerability looked strange on hyunsuk, who had always seemed nothing short of confident. "yeah, it is."

"it was beautiful." junkyu was being sincere, even though there was that selfish part of him that was _jealous_. "whoever this guy is, he would have to be a complete idiot to turn you down, seriously."

a tiny and shy smile lifted the corners of hyunsuk's lips. "thanks, kyu." he said. "you really think he'll like it?"

"he'll _love_ it. and if he doesn't, i'll handle him personally." junkyu grinned, grateful the way hyunsuk beamed at him.

"the sun should be starting to go down soon, we should hurry if we want to catch the sunset." hyunsuk said, turning off the computer and rising from his seat. 

junkyu just nods and removes the headphones from around his neck, getting up and following hyunsuk out of the studio.

it's a bit of a walk to the library, which is halfway across campus, but junkyu finds that he really doesn't mind since time seems to fly whenever he's in hyunsuk's company. 

hyunsuk has a way of making junkyu laugh with little to no effort, but maybe it was just because of the fact that junkyu was head over heels for the older boy. and if that was the case, it's a secret he'll keep to himself.

it's windy and a bit cold when they reach the roof, and it's not surprising since winter hasn't quite come to its close yet in mid-march. junkyu regrets his wardrobe choices as he burrows a little deeper in his thin hoodie, not that it helps very much. 

"come over here, the wind isn't so bad." hyunsuk said, motioning to a spot just around the corner from the stairwell door where the wall blocked the wind. "it'll probably die down soon." 

junkyu backed up against the wall and out of the way of the biting wind, staring out at the skyline where the sun had started to go down. everything was washed in muted shades of orange and red, and junkyu couldn't stop himself from sneaking a peek at hyunsuk. 

part of junkyu wishes he hadn't looked, because his breath catches in his throat when he sees the way hyunsuk glows in shades of orange and gold. his skin shines and there's a vibrant yellow cloud just above his head that looks almost like a halo. all junkyu can do is stare, unable to tear his eyes away from hyunsuk when he looks that _beautiful_. 

as the sun disappears below the tops of the buildings and out of view, junkyu realizes he's missed nearly the entire sunset because he was so preoccupied with watching the way the colors changed on hyunsuk's skin as the clouds shifted and the sun sunk lower and lower.

"hey junkyu," junkyu blinks twice, hyunsuk calling his name causing him to snap out of the trance the older has put him in. "there's… something i think i should tell you."

junkyu swears his heart stops beating, and he starts to get a little nervous. "what's up?" he asks.

"please promise me first that you won't, like, get upset and we can stay friends." hyunsuk's voice sounds off, and junkyu tilts his head.

"i promise i won't get upset, and we can stay friends." junkyu assures him, worry pooling in his stomach. "hyunsuk, what's the matter?"

"i, um, you know that- that guy i told you about earlier? the, uh, cliché moment guy?" junkyu's heart sinks, but he nods anyway. "aren't you… i don't know- curious? about who he is?"

"of course i am," junkyu says slowly. "but i didn't want to pry. it's not my place to ask."

"how do you feel when i bring him up?" hyunsuk asks, turning away from junkyu.

"i- what?" junkyu blinks. "why does it matter what i feel? i don't have anything to do with it."

"except you _do_!" hyunsuk laughs. "you have _everything_ to do with it but you're just so fucking dense!"

junkyu's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "how do i- what? i'm not following."

"see, my point exactly." hyunsuk huffs, running a hand through his hair. "you're an idiot, you know that? _you're_ the cliché moment guy! it's been _you_ the entire time! that's why it matters how you feel and what you think when i talk about him. because he is you."

junkyu feels like a fish out of water, flopping around with its mouth opening and closing as it tries to breathe. he doesn't know what to say because he's spent his entire day convincing himself that he could never be the one hyunsuk wanted, that hyunsuk would never even look in his direction in that way, that hyunsuk was just fucking around wit him for fun. it's like the wind has been knocked from his lungs and he's forgotten how to breathe.

all he can manage is a measly "what?" and hyunsuk just rolls his eyes and turns away again.

"i knew what i was doing when i kissed you. i didn't kiss you because i was intoxicated- as a matter of fact i was almost completely sober, and the only alcohol i'd had was a single shot to convince myself to finally go talk to you." hyunsuk shook his head. "and my flirting didn't seem to get the point across, so i showed you the song and even _that_ didn't work."

"the song was… for me?" junkyu refused to believe this was real. "hyunsuk i swear to god if this is some kind of prank- if you're just fucking around with me right now i will literally kill you, it's not funny." junkyu could hear his heartbeat in his ears, his heart pounding against his ribcage so hard he was sure hyunsuk could hear it too.

"what do i have to do to make you realize i'm serious? how do i prove it to you?" hyunsuk's eyes searched junkyu's face. 

"just- just stop talking, please, i need-" junkyu squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head, turning away from hyunsuk. "i need a minute." 

_calm down, calm down, calm down._

eyes closed, junkyu tried to steady his breathing and calm his racing heart, but his efforts were no good.

_fuck it._

"you wanna know how i felt when you brought up the cliché guy?" junkyu asked, turning to look hyunsuk in the eye. "fine, i'll tell you how i felt. i was miserable. i almost cried in the diner bathroom. i thought you were just fucking around with me and flirting with me for fun and i was _letting you_ and i felt like a complete fucking idiot for it. i thought you were going to break my heart, and i was willing to let you because it's _you_." 

hyunsuk's eyes were blown wide and he looked _horrified_ as he stared at junkyu. "you cried because of me? i didn't- i wouldn't-" he made a frustrated noise, pushing a hand through his already unruly and windblown hair. "god, junkyu, i'm so fucking sorry. i never meant to hurt you, i would _never_ do that to you."

"i guess i really am an idiot." junkyu jokes, trying to lighten the mood. he hated the way hyunsuk looked genuinely upset with himself, and he knew the older boy was beating himself up in his head. "it's okay, you know. _i'm_ okay. i don't want you to beat yourself up over this, it's really not your fault and i don't blame you. i was just too stupid to realize you were serious."

hyunsuk shook his head, refusing to meet junkyu's eyes, and the younger sighed and took a step closer to hyunsuk, taking his cold face in his hands and forcing him to meet his eyes.

despite the fact hyunsuk's troubled eyes looked like they were brimming with tears, junkyu smiled down at him. "choi hyunsuk don't you dare cry." junkyu said, voice serious. "if you cry, i'll cry, and i don't think either of us want that. i promise i'm okay. i'm okay because i'm here with you, and we just watched the sunset together, and we shared another fucking milkshake, and i know you aren't going to break my heart."

"i wanna hear you say it." hyunsuk mumbled, and junkyu raised an eyebrow. "don't play stupid, you know what i'm talking about."

"you wanna hear me say i like you?" junkyu laughed. "fine. _i like you_ , hyunsuk. i like you alot, because why else would i be on the fucking _school roof_ on a saturday evening while it's cold as hell outside?"

that makes hyunsuk giggle, and junkyu smiles wide, leaning his forehead against hyunsuk's.

"you're short." junkyu teased.

"shut up and kiss me, dumbass." hyunsuk huffed, and junkyu could feel his breath against his face.

junkyu didn't need to be told twice, and the way he pressed his lips to hyunsuk's was nothing but gentle. _this is what a first kiss should feel like._ was all junkyu could think, butterflies erupting in his stomach. junkyu could still taste the strawberry on hyunsuk's tongue, but this time there was no trace of the alcohol that had lingered the night before.

neither of them pull away until junkyu feels something dripping against his face, and by the time they finally register that it's raining, it's already starting to pour. junkyu shrieks and grabs hyunsuk's hand, dragging him back through the stairwell door and out of the rain.

hyunsuk starts laughing and his whole face is lit up and his giggle is just so contagious that junkyu can't help but laugh too. their hair is dripping in their eyes and their clothes are soaked through, and they still have to get back to hyunsuk's car halfway across campus.

"it's probably a really good thing we left our phones in the car." hyunsuk laughs, clinging to junkyu's arm. 

junkyu smiles and shakes his head as he pushes his wet hair back out of his eyes. "now we have to worry about getting to the car."

hyunsuk blinks in realization. " _shit_." he curses, biting back a laugh. "we'll be able to go through the building for most of the way, but we have to make a run for it once we get back outside."

junkyu nods, but he's more distracted by the way hyunsuk's eyes are sparkling like they're home to a million stars, their own little galaxies.

hyunsuk leads the way through the building, and junkyu just follows,, even though he knows it like the back of his hand. the moment they reach the arts building's lobby door, they shoot each other a grin before they burst out into the rain.

it's pouring harder now, and hyunsuk is screaming like a child and junkyu is laughing and everything is as perfect as it can be when you'll probably wake up with a cold the next day. junkyu decides that moments like this are worth catching a cold for.

they're drenched and breathless when they reach hyunsuk's car, and hyunsuk is reaching for junkyu's face and pulling him in for a kiss the moment the doors are closed. junkyu laughs when they break apart. 

"so. do i owe twenty bucks?" hyunsuk asks, grinning like the little shit he is.

"you will if i wake up sick tomorrow morning." junkyu teases. "in that case you'll owe me _thirty_ and you'll have to come take care of me, even if you're sick too."

"it's a good thing i don't get sick easily then." hyunsuk's smile reaches his eyes and turns them into cresent moons, and even though the younger rolls his eyes, junkyu thinks he's perfect.

junkyu finds himself wishing a night could last forever when theirs is coming to a close outside junkyu's very small and very cheap college student budget apartment.

"i had a really good time today," junkyu said softly, swinging their hands between them as they make their way up the stairs. "i really did."

"i spent half the time convinced i was gonna have a heart attack, but i had fun too." hyunsuk smiled and bumped his shoulder against junkyu's. "you don't have to give me an answer now if you aren't ready to, but i really like you, kyu. and i want you to be my boyfriend. i want to share drawberry milkshakes with you, and dance in the rain with you, and kiss you, and hold your hand, and watch you blush when i call you pretty."

junkyu _hates_ the way his face heats up and the way hyunsuk grins like he's won something. 

"double dates with yedam and asahi sound like fun." junkyu suggests. he's only half joking, but hyunsuk is completely serious when he agrees. "two more dates. and then ask me again." he says.

but the thing is, he really doesn't _need_ two more dates because he already wants to say yes right now, and the way hyunsuk grins lets junkyu know he already knows that.

no one had ever kissed junkyu goodnight before, and junkyu has never wanted to someone to stay so badly. he doesn't want to say goodnight to hyunsuk, because that means he'll be leaving, and it could be days before they really see each other again - they're both busy college students with a million responsibilities (aside from parties, that is).

"i'll text you when i get home, okay?" hyunsuk said, resting his forehead against junkyu's. "goodnight junkyu, i'll see you soon." junkyu just nods in response, and he smiles when hyunsuk looks back at him as he goes back down the stairs.

junkyu doesn't know how he's going to manage to fall asleep, a million thoughts running around his head, and a smile that just won't go away. he thinks he could get used to smiling this much.

for the first time in hours, junkyu checks his phone, and there's way too many texts from yedam demanding to know where he was and why he canceled on him when they were _supposed_ to work on a composition project.

junkyu types out a reply, and he knows yedam is probably going to kill him for it tomorrow.

**me:** _i was out with hyunsuk_

 **me:** _pls dont kill me tomorrow_

junkyu doesn't check his phone again. he does manage to fall asleep, much faster than he had expected, and he dreams of a dark haired boy with lips that tasted like strawberries and eyes that held entire universes.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading, and i hope you enjoyed it! i have a jaesahi fic in the works that will be out eventually, so look out for that!
> 
> don't forget to leave kudos, and maybe even a comment :]


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